JP2008197106A - Test and measurement instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To show a plurality of data channels collected as a group, to indicate which group is selected, and to indicate a channel in the group. <P>SOLUTION: This test and measurement instrument for receiving and displaying the plurality of data channels shows the plurality of data channels on a display means, groups two or more displayed data channels with a grouping means, and shows the grouped data channels by an indicating means. The indication displayed by the indicating means applies to the group of mutually related data channels, and the indicating means has a head positioned near the group, and a tail for surrounding the plurality of data channels. When the group is selected, at least a part of the indication is emphasized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates generally to test and measurement instruments that display a plurality of data channels, and more particularly to a test and measurement instrument that can display an indication of the channels grouped together.

  Many test and measurement instruments, such as logic analyzers (LA) and mixed signal oscilloscopes (MSOs: oscilloscopes that measure both digital and analog signals), have multiple data logic channels Display. An example of grouping channels is a test and measurement instrument that selects a channel for display from a plurality of data channels to automatically form a group from a plurality of data channels, one of the displayed channels. Are moved to other displayed channels in the vicinity to form a group, and the neighboring groups are moved to other groups to form a new group combining these two groups. In this example, regardless of the combination, the user can flexibly make a group of a plurality of channels. This grouping of channels allows the channels within the group to be turned on (displayed) or off (hidden) together, and the display can be moved together. In general, channel numbers are displayed along the left side of the display in the vicinity of the associated channel. However, it is not readily apparent whether the channel is part of a group or whether a group is selected separately from the individual channels within the group.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-342296

  It is therefore desirable to show a plurality of data channels collected as a group, indicate which group is selected, and indicate the channels within the group.

  A test and measurement instrument for receiving and displaying a plurality of data channels of the present invention; display means for displaying a plurality of received data channels; means for grouping two or more displayed data channels; Indication means on the display means indicating the displayed and grouped data channels; the indication displayed by the indication means is for a group of data channels associated with each other; located in the vicinity of the group And a tail that surrounds the plurality of data channels; at least part of the indication is highlighted when a group is selected.

  Thus, the present invention is an indication of the collected channels in a group, which channels are in the group and which group is in the selected group or which channel in the selected group. Can show if there is.

  The indication by the test and measurement instrument of the present invention comprises a head (top) and a tail (rear), the head is located in the vicinity of the group, and the tail surrounds the channel numbers contained within the group. Preferably, the head is a triangle located at the top of the channel number in the group, and this triangle indicates the direction of the channel number belonging to that group. The tail may be a bar extending from the triangle through the channel number like a skewer and surrounds the channel numbers in the group. For example, when selecting the top channel in a group with the selection knob, further rotating the selection knob in the same direction selects the group. When a group is selected, the instructions are highlighted. Turning the selection knob again in either direction deselects this group and selects the next channel above the group on the display or the top channel of the group.

  Objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display using instructions from the test and measurement instrument of the present invention. The test and measurement equipment receives multiple data, captures these data channels and stores them in memory, processes the data channels appropriately using a microprocessor, etc., stores them in the display memory, and displays the stored contents of this display memory To display. Although the following operation depends on software, if it is known what kind of display is performed, it will be easy for those skilled in the art to realize how to display it. In FIG. 1, the display 10 shows a state in which a plurality of channels are grouped into four groups each having four channels. To simplify the figure, the display of each channel is simply shown as a straight line. On the left side of the display 10, a channel number is shown. Grouping can be inferred when multiple data channels are close to each other. However, in many cases, it is not actually a group depending on how these data channels are “close”. However, the indication 20 on the left side of the display 10 clearly shows which channels are grouped together, regardless of how vertically the channels are separated on the display. The instruction 20 includes a “head” (top) 22 and a “tail” (rear) 24. In this embodiment, the downward triangle at the top of each group is the head, and the bar passing through the channel numbers forming the group like a skewer is the tail. The head 22 and tail 24 are shown as an outline shape (outline form) and one of the channel numbers (4) is highlighted to indicate that channel 4 is currently selected. FIG. 2 shows details on the left side of the display for one of the groups shown in FIG. When the logic signal is displayed for the channel, the channel number is indicated by a bracket (bracket shape) on the right side corresponding to the height of the logic signal.

  To take advantage of the grouping concept, as in the channel grouping example described above, the user needs to understand when to select a group against an individual channel, and a knob (not shown) )) As a selection knob, you need to know what to choose next when rotating. This selection knob works in conjunction with the microprocessor and software described above to control the display of the data channel. As shown in the diagram of FIG. 3, the group indicated by the instruction 20 on the display 10 is composed of channels 15 to 12, and the individual channel 0 is above this group. Initially, channel 14 is selected, as shown by channel number emphasis. When the selection knob is rotated in one direction, channel 15 is selected. This channel 15 is the top channel of the group. As the selection knob is further rotated in the same direction, the entire group is selected, as indicated by the highlighted instruction 20. Here, it is emphasized by filling the inside of the outline of the instruction. When the selection knob is further rotated in the same direction, individual channel 0 is selected. On the other hand, when the selection knob is rotated in the reverse direction, the channel 15 is selected again. In either case, the group is not selected.

  The same instructions 20 may be used in other parts of the test and measurement instrument user interface (UI). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, if the groups are listed in the channel menu, the indication 20 can be used in the horizontal direction instead of the vertical to indicate that the channels D7-D3 have been grouped. Such listing does not list all channels in the group. Here, the channels are not displayed in order, but only the first and last channels of the group are shown. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, in the display of what is selected by the selection knob, a horizontal structure may be used in the menu display when a group is selected.

  Although shown as a triangle 22 and a bar 24, the instruction 20 may be of any shape, the head is a circle, rectangle, polyhedron, etc., and the tail is a bracket, line, etc. These clearly indicate which channels are associated with the group and whether the group is selected. The head 22 can also be either the top or bottom (left or right) of the grouped channels, and the tail can be in the form of a bracket around the channel, rather than a bar through the channel number. A salient feature of the present invention is an indication that which channel belongs to a group and that the group has been selected. Further, the head 22 may be integral with the tail 24 and indistinguishable from the tail 24 as long as it can be shown which channel belongs to the group and the group has been selected.

  Thus, according to the present invention, an indication for channels grouped together is provided, indicating the channels within the group and indicating that the group has been selected. The indication preferably has a head at one end of the group of channels and a tail surrounding the channels in the group.

It is a top view of the display using the instruction | indication by the test measurement apparatus of this invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of the display of FIG. 1 and showing instructions according to the present invention more clearly. It is a figure which shows how an instruction | indication changes according to this invention and instruct | indicates group selection. It is a figure which shows grouping in a vertical arrangement | sequence. It is a figure which shows grouping in a horizontal arrangement | sequence.

Explanation of symbols

10 Display 20 Instruction 22 Head 24 Tail

Claims (7)

A test and measurement instrument that receives and displays multiple data channels,
Display means for displaying said plurality of received data channels;
Means for grouping two or more of the displayed data channels;
Indicating means on the display means for indicating the data channels displayed and grouped;
The indication displayed by the indication means is for the group of data channels associated with each other,
A head located in the vicinity of the group;
A tail surrounding the plurality of data channels;
A test and measurement instrument, wherein at least a part of the instruction is emphasized when the group is selected.   2. The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1, wherein the part is the head.   The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1, wherein the part is the tail. The head is a symbol of the outer shape,
2. The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1, wherein when the group is selected, the inside of the outer shape is filled.   The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1, wherein the tail is a bar having a channel number representing the plurality of channels.   2. The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1, wherein the tail is a bracket surrounding the channel number in the vicinity of a channel number representing the plurality of channels.   2. The test and measurement instrument according to claim 1, wherein the head is a triangle indicating the plurality of channels.

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